The present invention relates to an improved compound miter saw having a work supporting fence which has automatically adjustable combined transverse and longitudinal movement relative to various miter positions of a power driven saw blade, and also having an improved miter detent mechanism for selective releasable engagement between the turntable and supporting frame of the compound miter saw.
In the aforementioned co-pending patent application, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto, there is disclosed a compound miter saw in which a number of specific improvements are disclosed and claimed. Specifically, the improvements include a work supporting fence that is maintained in alignment with a turntable saw blade slot while the turntable, including the associated saw blade slot, is positioned for desired miter cuts. The work supporting fence is also constructed in that design for accurate and effective clamping relative to the supporting frame in both front and rear work supporting fence positions. Other improvements include a swinging blade guard that facilitates access to the saw blade shaft while precluding interference with bevel cuts and closed cylinders between the turntable and saw providing pivotal movement of the saw while also permitting bevel pivotal adjustment of the saw relative to the turntable.
The aforementioned compound miter saw and the above described improvements were developed primarily for use in conjunction with a 10" compound miter saw that affords substantial cutting capacity, including bevel cutting a 2.times.6 board and compound angle cutting a 2.times.4 board. Where it is desired to scale-down the compound miter saw so as to provide marketing access to consumers at a lower price point, some of the features incorporated in the aforementioned compound miter saw can not be utilized in a scaled down version because certain features are too costly. At the same time, it is important that as many of the advantages inherent in the aforementioned compound miter saw be utilized in a scaled down version, to the extent possible.
The present invention strikes a balance between features and cost in a scaled down version of an improved compound miter saw. Specifically, the present invention has been constructed primarily, although not exclusively for use with an 81/4" power driven saw blade, to provide compound coordinated, automatically adjustable two axis motion for a work supporting fence relative to a power driven saw blade so as to maximize the capacity of the work to be cut, even including miter and bevel cutting of 2.times.4 boards and bevel cutting of 2.times.6 boards. Additionally, the present invention offers an improved miter detent mechanism for selective releasable engagement between the turntable and supporting frame. Furthermore, it has been discovered that some or all of the features of the present invention may be desirably employed in other compound miter saw constructions, including larger diameter and more highly powered and more sophisticated compound miter saws, if desired.